Our MRTV-3 crew has arrived now on Mong Pawk Mountain where Wa people are residing. This area was the opium cultivation area in the past. Now, with the cooperation of Myanmar government, UNDCP and local authorities, plans have been laid down and implemented the activities to eradicate the opium in this region and targeted to be the opium free zone in 2005. Everyone here can see vividly the success being carried out in this region has been achieved.

Now, we met with the officials of the Wa region participating in development activities of Wa region.
Dr. Zaw Thein Oo (Health Coordinator of Health Component of Wa Alternative Development Project, UNDCP)

DTTM: Could you please explain about the Health Care System of before and after getting peace?

Dr. ZTO: Before getting peace with the government, they had conditions of Mong Pawk, there is no systematic health care in this area and the people of this area took care of their health care by themselves with the traditional medicines (or) the medicinal plant some time they prayed the spirit with killed animals like the buffaloes or the pigs or the dogs. After getting peace with the government, the government of Union of Myanmar, Department of Health and the Progress of Border Area and National Races Development Department founded the three border area clinics in Mong Pawk, Hotao and Hokan Pannauk. There are two nurses and two midwives in each clinic. With this health manpower, they are serving the health care as the out-patient surveys or the mobile health teams. Three years ago, the UNDCP Wa Alternative Developments are started their activities in this southern Wa region. They are implementing the alternative developments in this area including the health sector. So, the Project of Health Component has two main objectives:- to establish the “Primary Health Care System” and Community based “Drug Demand Reduction Program”. To establish the “Primary Health Care System”, now project is facilitating the 25-beded hospital, station level hospital in Mong Pawk and clinics and RHC centres in the other areas Hotao, Mong Hpen, Nam Phine and Mong Kar. Japanese NGO donated these costs. Now, this area has the endemic disease: Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Dysentery and Diarrhoea. For these diseases, the project is controlling and preventing these diseases. Project is also implementing the leprosy Elimination Program which is followed by the Department of Health Policy and Department of Health Activity. And also the Health Component is implementing the Maternal and Child Health Care including the child immunization, the expected program on immunization. We immunized the under-three children with the polio vaccine, DPT vaccine, Tetanus vaccine, BCD vaccine like that. At present, international consultant is coming here and he is giving the Training for the Trainers for this five community health care trainers. After this training, these community health care trainers can disseminate to the village level health care volunteer staffs.

Dr. ZTO Now, the health care condition is gradually improved because of the Progress of Border Area and National Races Development Department and also the Department of Health and also our project is trying to get a health promotion. So, I think and expect to get our success for the health care system in this southern Wa region in year 2005. I think it is simultaneously developing with the other sector when the opium free area involved in 2005.